


Sticks And Stones

by wackyjacqs



Series: Bizarre Holidays [88]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 04:45:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18276062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wackyjacqs/pseuds/wackyjacqs
Summary: “How are you holding up, Carter?”He waited as Sam prised her eyes open and slowly turned her head to face him. He winced at the purple and black bruising that marked the left-hand side of her face, while her bottom lip was swollen from where it had split open earlier.





	Sticks And Stones

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ‘Something on a Stick Day’ (28 March), a day “to celebrate the foods we love to eat – that just happen to come on a stick.”
> 
> I did not stick to that definition.

“How are you holding up, Carter?”

He waited as Sam prised her eyes open and slowly turned her head to face him. He winced at the purple and black bruising that marked the left-hand side of her face, while her bottom lip was swollen from where it had split open earlier.

“I’m… fine. Sir.”

He couldn’t miss the raspiness in the major’s voice and an uncontrollable anger surged forward, battling for dominance with the panic that welled inside him.

“We’ll be outta here soon, Carter,” he murmured. “You just need to hang on for a little longer.”

“Yes, sir.”

Moments later, her head fell forward as she passed out again, and Jack’s gaze snapped to her wrists. The both of them had been trussed to wooden stakes, their wrists bound above their heads, but because Sam kept passing out and couldn’t hold her own weight, the rope had rubbed and left red, angry welts on her skin.

Guilt swarmed Jack and he gave his own bonds a tug but they were too tight. Even if he could free his hands, he wouldn’t be able to reach Sam, to touch her and tell her that he’d get her out of this mess and save her.

It was his fault they were in this mess in the first place – even if it had been an innocent mistake.

Negotiations with the people of PYZ-844 – or Dromosa – had been going well and they had even thrown a celebration in the team’s honor, but when it came time to call it a night, Jack had reached out to help Sam to her feet. And that’s when all hell broke loose.

According to the Dromosians, the act was sacrilege because in their culture, men and women – unless married – were explicitly forbidden to touch. Daniel had tried to explain that Earth’s customs were not the same, but the locals had argued that as SG-1 were visitors to their planet, their laws had to be respected.

Daniel then had to get creative and put forward a disconcertingly compelling case that Jack and his second-in-command were married. But whilst the Dromosians were more open to this explanation, they claimed the two members of SG-1 were not married on their world. Therefore, the law had still been broken.

So, the archaeologist quickly and oh-so-kindly volunteered the couple to partake in a local marriage ceremony – only for the leaders to refuse. The damage had already been done, they claimed, and the guilty parties had to face a punishment befitting of the crime. Unfortunately, as women were viewed as inferior in the Dromosians’ eyes, Carter had taken the brunt of the punishment – and when Jack had quickly jumped in to try and stop them from laying a finger on Sam, he’d ended up being tied up alongside her.

The team didn’t have enough firepower or manpower to shoot their way out of the situation, but in the few minutes they’d been allowed to talk to their teammates privately since the incident, Daniel said he’d been trying to negotiate their release, while Teal’c was planning to return to the Stargate to seek reinforcements. That felt like a lifetime ago. Jack’s arms and legs were killing him, but his concern was with Carter. She really needed to get back to the SGC.

Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and as he looked up he had to squint against the brightness of the afternoon sun. It took a few seconds before he could make out the silhouettes of their teammates, as well as one of the leaders. As they came closer, the expression on Daniel and Teal’c’s faces didn’t fill him with much hope, but he was happy they were both still alive and seemingly uninjured, so it eased his mind slightly.

“Hey guys, what’s up?”

“Uh,” Daniel answered, frowning at Jack’s attempt at levity, before his gaze wondered to Sam and his expression morphed into one of horror.

Turning serious, Jack shook his head subtly at his friend. _“Daniel,”_ he warned quietly. _Not now._

“The Dromosians have agreed that this was all a misunderstanding.”

“Great,” the colonel replied. “So, can you get us down from here?”

“Ah, not exactly.”

“Why the hell not?”

“They want you and Sam to take a test.”

“ _A test?_ What the –”

“It’ll be fine, Jack,” Daniel quickly interrupted. “Trust me.”

He pinned Daniel with a look, only for Teal’c to add, “The Dromosians want to determine for themselves that you and Major Carter are indeed betrothed.”

His tone was firm, and Jack frowned as he met his gaze. He was just about to start arguing back when he caught the look in the Jaffa’s eye.

“So, we should... go along with this?” He eventually asked.

“Indeed,” Teal’c supplied. “I believe General Hammond would recommend this course of action.”

Jack tried not to let his relief show. He could read their unspoken message. They’d managed to get word back and a rescue attempt was on its way.

“Fine,” he sighed.

Daniel then turned to speak to the Dromosian leader, while a low moan from Jack’s right caught his attention and he glanced over to see Sam regaining consciousness. He risked a glance in Daniel’s direction and seeing they were preoccupied, he turned his head towards Carter.

“Hold on, Sam,” he whispered. “We’re going home.”


End file.
